


The Mister Mom Job

by MissMeggie



Series: KB Verse [1]
Category: Leverage
Genre: Award winning fic, F/M, Gen, Kid Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-25
Updated: 2012-06-25
Packaged: 2017-11-08 13:37:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/443749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissMeggie/pseuds/MissMeggie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eliot's daughter gets dropped in his lap for the week normally that wouldn't be an issue but he's working and must rely on the team to baby sit Katie Beth.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

AN: Thanks to Fluer for Betaing. I own nothing but Katie Beth and if you like it please review because I'm not really sure where to take this one!-Meg

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The team was being briefed for the latest job when there was a knock at the door. Hardison, being closest, answered it.

He swung the door open and there stood a little girl, her brown hair in pigtails. She wore red overalls, a back pack, and one of her pink Converse shoes were untied.

"We don't need any Girl Scout cookies, sweetie."

"I'm not selling any. I just need to find my daddy, Eliot Spencer."

Hardison laughed. "Okay…sure where are the cameras? I hope you got paid really good for this little girl."

The little girl made a face that was eerily similar to Eliot's pissed off face. Then she screamed "DADDY!" at the very top of her lungs.

Everyone in the room watched with varying degrees of shock as Eliot vaulted over the couch where he'd previously been seated and made it through the hall in three strides knocking Hardison out of the way.

"Katie Beth!"

"Hi Daddy." she said calmly.

"Jesus Katie Beth, why'd you yell? You scared me. What are you doing here?" he picked her up. She held tightly to his neck "Where's your Mama?"

"He didn't believe me and he called me a Girl Scout I got tired of waiting and just hollered to see if you was in there. Mama left already. Her Nonna died and she said she wasn't sticking me in that single-wide with her crazy Mama for a week when you could watch me."

"Oh really? Nice of her to warn me." He went to set her on the couch but she balked at being put down. "Let go, Monkey. We're a little clingy at first but it wears off," he told the team.

"Katie Beth, look at me sweet heart I'm not leavin' you okay? I'm just gonna go upstairs and call your mama and then come right back. I promise."

"Ok but hurry," she agreed and let go of his neck, allowing him to put her down. He kissed the top of her head.

"Don't teach her to steal while I'm gone," he tossed over his shoulder at the team.

Everyone stared at the little girl. Nate was the first to speak "Hi, I'm Nate."

"Hi, I'm Katherine Elizabeth Spencer but Daddy calls me Katie Beth. Mama just calls me Katie."

Parker inched closer to her, itching to touch the little female version of Eliot, if only to make sure she was real.

"How old are you?" Parker asked.

"Four almost five I know my addresses and both of Mama and Daddy's phone numbers."

"I bet you're a real smart cookie. I'm Parker." She pointed to Sophie and Hardison. "And that's Sophie And Hardison."

"Hi everybody. Do you do what my Daddy does, help people?"

"Yes," Sophie replied.

Eliot walked back down the stairs, still on the phone. "Yes, I know that Tana but I'm working .What I am I supposed to do with her then? Oh, come on don't be like that you know I want her I've just…" he looked over to make sure Katie was okay. "Been working… have you eaten anything?" he directed at Katie.

She shook her head no. "I have a snack in my backpack for when I get hungry. Can I play Barbies on the table?"

"Sure darlin'… no I was talking to Katie Beth." He headed back up stairs.

"How often do you see your daddy?" Sophie asked.

"Whenever he's not working. I have my own room at his house and everything. Its been a whole bunch a sleeps since I seen him though. You talk pretty," she told Sophie.

"Thank you Katie."

"You guys wanna play with me? I have lots of dolls even a Ken doll. He's Daddy's but he can share." Hardison laughed, the whole idea of Eliot playing Barbies was hysterical to him.

Parker shot him a dirty look. "I'll play with you sweetie."

A few minutes later Eliot came back down.

"You're gonna stay with me for awhile, Monkey." He told Katie. Her blue eyes sparkled.

"Okay, Daddy will you make sketty for dinner? Mama's new boyfriend is veggie whatever that word is so all the food is yucky now."

"You mean vegetarian but you bet I will. You still going to preschool?"

"Yes, from ten to two thirty."

"Okay, do you guys think you can help watch her while I do my parts of the job?"

Everyone nodded. He sat down on the couch, lifting Katie into his lap.

"Okay we can start again." Eliot said as he reached to tie Katie's shoes he heard Katie gasp when the bank of monitors came back on.

"Daddy can I watch Sponge Bob in here?" she asked, the awe evident in her voice.


	2. Chapter 2

AN: own nothing but Katie Beth! Thanks to Fleur for the beta. The song I used was So Lovely By Lisa Marie Presley.

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Hardison set Katie up with some Sponge Bob after the meeting and they all followed Eliot into Nate's kitchen to prepare dinner.

"You have a kid?" Hardison said disbelievingly.

"I do." Eliot started pulling out pots and pans

"But how?" Parker was genuinely confused.

"I met a chick in a bar went home had sex nine months later, there's Katie Beth. Its not rocket science Parker."

"So she's an accident?" Parker asked.

"Shhh, she can hear you, Parker."

"How you know she's yours? I mean she could be the milkman's," Hardison said.

"Other than the fact she looks just like me, I have the DNA Test results. She's one hundred percent Spencer."

"Why didn't you tell us about her?" Nate asked.

Eliot shrugged as he started making spaghetti sauce. "She's mine, she's private…if we get caught, it's better people not know my weaknesses. She's the only one I have so…"

"Daddy?"

"What, baby?"

"Do you know you're a lot like Squidward."

"I think that might have been an insult. That character is emotionally closed off." Parker said.

A few minutes later...

"Katie Beth, I have a job for you come here."

"Okay." Eliot sat her up at the table. He had the salad already in a bowl. He poured in some dressing and secured another bowl on top.

"Grab the handles and shake 'til your arms get tired."

"Cool Daddy."

He tugged on her loose pig tail to tighten it.

"Ouch…"

"Sorry, baby." He turned and they were all staring at them again.

"Stop staring at us like we're damn Zoo animals."

"Daddy, when can we go to the Zoo?"

"My next day off."

After dinner he started her bathwater. He was relieved that Katie Beth now found bath time fun. There'd been a year there, when she was two, that it had been easier to bathe a feral, rabid cat than to get that kid into the tub. Now, she stripped off her clothes and bounded right in with her bath toys, laughing as the bubbles tickled her nose.

He took a seat on the edge of the bath and watched her play. "So what have you learned since I last saw you?"

"I know the difference between boys and girls now," she said with a proud smile.

"Excuse me?" asked Eliot.

"Payton Eggert showed me his part. Mommy said it's called a penis and boys have them. Girls have bah-ginas."

"You didn't show him yours, did you?"

"No sirree."

"Good, don't play that game until Daddy's dead. Like way dead, okay?"

"Okay, Daddy. Don't worry. I have no idea how that game works anyway."

Eliot breathed a sigh of relief as a giggle from the doorway alerted him that they had eavesdroppers. Their curiosity over Katie automatically negated all of Eliot's carefully set boundries with the ladies. Parker must have picked the lock and let herself and Sophie into his apartment.

"Eliot do you need help with anything?" asked Sophie.

"Nah I-"

"Daddy, can Miss Sophie and Miss Parker help me with me with bath time?"

"But I usually do it."

"I know Daddy, but you don't ever have girls around, and I like them."

"Ok as long as its alright with the girls."

"We can handle it no worries Eliot." Sophie said.

Eliot stood up and backed away from the tub to allow Sophie and Parker in closer. Sophie took his spot on the edge of the tub while Parker perched on the tank of the toilet.

"Daddy says you do voices, Miss Sophie, can you teach me?"

"Why yes I believe I can." Sophie said using her Southern accent. "Tilt your head back Katie…" Sophie said rinsing her hair.

Katie laughed. "You sound like my Nana."

"I do…"

"Uh huh."

"Where's your Nana live?" Parker asked. She was always curious about Eliot's background and what made him the way he was.

"Kentucky. Sometimes we go there for Christmas, since Daddy's daddy died. He wasn't very nice so Daddy didn't like him very much so its ok to go back now."

"Well let's start with a New York accent its easiest New Yorkers talk with their jaw clenched. Try this…How you doin'?" said Sophie

"How you doin?" mimicked Katie.

"Very good," said Sophie as Katie Beth giggled.

Parker was growing bored with the accent lesson, so she slipped out the bathroom and wandered into the living room, where she found Eliot on the phone again.

"Oh I am not even dignifying that with a response, Tana. You dropped her off at my damn door. What if I wasn't home, Tana, then what? She's four fucking years old! You know what, let's just go back to the old arrangement. I'll just keep her. I had her for the first two years of her life, I'll do it again… well obviously because you're to stupid or just plain don't care to realize that you just don't dump her somewhere then leave Tana!"

"Bitch!" he swore, pitching his phone against the wall, where it shattered loudly and fell to the floor.

"Daddy?" called Katie Beth from the bathroom.

"Its ok sweetheart just dropped my phone." He went over to pick up the mess.

"You're different, the same but different," Parker said.

"How long you been standing there?"

"Long enough to know you're crazy protective of Katie. Sophie's teaching her grifting 101 by the way… I think I'll teach her to pick pockets."

"No, you will not I was serious about the no stealing thing." Just then Katie came out of the bathroom dressed in her Princess Jasmine pajamas.

"Thank you for helping me Miss Sophie."

"You're welcome darling."

"You to Miss Parker…"

"No problem, kid."

"Daddy will you brush out my tangles?"

"I am the best detangler around aren't I?" he gestured to himself making a face that made Katie giggle.

"Soph, Parker I'll put her to bed, then be in to finish planning the job."

Sophie and Parker walked across the hall to Nate's apartment where they waited for Eliot to finish. Then they heard them through the computer system.

"Daddy sing me the lovely song."

"ok… scoot over a little…let's see if I remember it."

"Hardison, you bugged that baby's room?" Sophie accused.

"Silly Daddy, you 'member it's our song…."

"This wrong we can't just listen in…" Sophie said.

"Oh come on like you don't find this whole unknown side of Eliot fascinating?" Parker added.

"People are allowed lives, things, people, outside of the job, Parker."

"I remember and here goes ready?"

They all flinched, preparing for Eliot's worst, but no one made a move from the couches too turn it off.

You know I did something right. Something that keeps me alive. Oh you sweet little baby.. When you came you let me know. I was finally happy. You knew me before now didn't you. God you're so lovely.

They were pleasantly surprised. "He's actually not bad…its pretty." Parker said.

Did you come here to help me. And I know you can't sleep well. Unless I'm right there next to you.

"Daddy…" you could hear the sleepiness in her voice. Eliot knew if he laid there long enough tickling her face like he was now she would fall asleep.

"Hmmm?" he answered back.

"Why don't you have a somebody like Mommy does?"

"You mean you're not my somebody…"

"Like a girlfriend Daddy." The exasperation in her voice and the crinkle in her brow made him smile.

"I don't like people too much Katie Beth."

"You like me."

"Yes but I made you, so that gives you bonus points."

"Say the prayer before I go to sleep Daddy."

"May God bless and keep you always. May his face shine upon you…may the road rise up to meet you and the wind be at your back… may the winds of destiny carry you aloft to dance among the stars." He kissed her forehead goodnight, Katie Beth. I love you."

"Night night Daddy, love you too." They heard the bed creak as Eliot got up.

"The man prays over his child…and you two just had to be nosy…" Sophie admonished.

"I prayed over Sam…lots of people do it." Nate said.

"I guess I don't need the baby monitor then." Eliot said walking in.

"Hey man, I just put it in to make it easier for you when you're over here. There's a camera too." He turned on the TV and there in black and white was Katie Beth trying to root out her comfy spot.

"I oughta hit you." Eliot said.


	3. Chapter 3

Eliot knew what he did for a living was beyond dangerous. Becoming a father had changed him, softened him in ways no one could ever see. But he knew the changes were real and permanent.

He tossed a bright yellow tennis ball at the ceiling as he lay in bed. Smirking because he knew it would wake Hardison who lived just above him. He caught the ball. Now, for the past four years every time he entered into a job he weighed his options.

"Risk versus reward…" murmured to himself, tossing up the ball again. He thought about Katie Beth before he threw every punch. The first two years of her life, he'd quit working and got a real job working as a mechanic in Costa Mesa, California and began raising his little girl and he'd liked it.

Sure his feet got itchy but anytime that started, he'd look at his girl and he wasn't so itchy. Tana had wanted a real shot at being a mother and he'd given it to her and he'd started conning again because he was bored and Nate seemed stand up enough.

When he saw Katie Beth on weekends and days off she'd make him lose his edge for a day or two, but the team never seemed to notice. Having Katie with him now weakened him because god did he love her. He had to stick around to protect her. This job had to go smoothly. There was no other choice. He caught the ball again.

He never took his eyes from the ceiling but felt her standing in the door. "You're up early, Miss Katie Beth."

"Can I lay with you til time to get up?"

"I was just needin' my cuddle buddy how'd you know?"

"I'm smart," she replied as he lifted her on to the bed, nestling her to his side. She laid her head on his chest.

"I can hear your heart Daddy."

"You can huh? What's it sound like?" he asked, just to see what she'd say.

"Kinda like Nana's washing machine…"

Eliot laughed "I love you. You know that?"

"Yep."

-/-

Parker heard the feed coming from Hardison's laptop.

"Get dressed I laid your clothes out. What do you want for breakfast?" Eliot asked.

"Blueberry muffins."

"I think I can handle that."

Twenty minutes later Eliot opened the door while mixing the muffin batter. Parker and Hardison stood on the threshold.

"We heard the words blueberry muffins. Blame the kid." Parker said dipping a finger into the batter and licking off.

"That is unsanitary," Hardison griped.

"Hi guys," Katie greeted from her barstool. She wore a powder blue cap sleeve shirt, a denim skirt and almost knee high camel colored boots. Her hair was curled, falling on her shoulders her bangs clipped back on one side. She held one of her dolls in her right arm.

"Her hair is curled. Who did that?" Hardison asked.

"I did and you so much as say one tiny word about it I'll… well you know what'll happen." Eliot warned by giving him the patented 'prepare to die' stare.

Parker eased herself up on the barstool next to Katie. "Huh, your doll still has its head ,Wednesday Adams was my idol."

"You're kinda weird Miss Parker."

"She is but we love her anyway." Hardison said.

-/-

He left Katie in the kitchen eating her muffins with Parker and Hardison and found Nate in front of his laptop at the kitchen table.

"Can I talk to you a minute?" He stood hands in his pockets, rocking back on his heels.

"Sure…is something wrong?"

"No, not really I don't think so. I know this job is supposed to be an easy one but it's the ones we think will be a cake walk that tend to fuck us over in the end so... What I'm saying is if something goes wrong, please just get Katie Beth to my sister Jodi in Lexington. Tana loves Katie but she's a flake. I just need to know she'll be in good hands if things go south."

"Nothing is going to happen Eliot."

"I don't do this with her around it messes with my head and I don't want this to ever touch her. She doesn't know that side of me, Nate, and I don't ever want her to. My sister usually knows if I don't call her on Sundays that something is up, but still if you could just make sure Katie Beth is safe just in case."

"Alright then."

"Okay I've got to get her to school…. Katie Beth! Lets go!" he strode out the door.

Nate Ford was learning there were many sides to Eliot Spencer…doting daddy and professional violence dispenser.

-/-

He lifted her down out of the truck and set her on her feet. He handed over her lunchbox. For some reason, Hardison and Parker decided to tag along for the drop off. Apparently Katie Beth was their new BFF.

"Aw, you made her lunch. How very June Clever of you," Hardison teased.

"I still owe you an ass kicking for the surveillance in her room. Don't push me."

Katie started across the street. "No, Hold my hand when you cross the street you know that!" Eliot barked at her gruffly.

She stepped back to his side looking abashed and a little pouty.

"Sorry I didn't mean to yell at you." he held out his hand. "Please just humor Daddy ok?" She took his hand.

"Are you afraid they won't feed her like in Oliver Twist or something?" Parker asked.

"It's meatloaf day at the school; that's not food it's a crime against humanity." Eliot replied. Katie suddenly stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. Eliot looked down at her, "What Baby?"

"I decided I don't wanna go to school today. I wanna stay with you."

"You can't I've gotta work…"

"So you gonna leave me and not come back again like last time." Her chin started to tremble, tears filling her eyes.

"Oh it cries! I don't do well with tears," Parker said.

"Yes. She cries, Parker, she's a little girl for crying out loud." Eliot said, exasperated.

He squatted down in front of Katie.

"Look at me Katie Beth," he said, waiting until she looked up at him her, the tears starting to make tracks down her face as she cried quietly. It worried him because she was usually a very vocal crier and could throw a fit like nobody's business when she wanted. He automatically was suspicious of whatever changes Tana had been making in the child's life.

"I'm going to come back for you sweetheart I'm not going to leave you here okay. Don't I always come back?"

"Took you a long long time this time and Mommy said that you forgot all about me and that you didn't care anymore."

He cursed Tana up one side and down the other in his head. "I know it took a really long time this time and I'm very sorry Katie but I promise you I didn't forget you. I thought about you every day." And now Eliot was having one of those moments when he realized Katie is a girl and much like Parker, her tears always unravel him. He didn't flounder though like he used to, offering her candy anything she wants to stem the flow and stop the pouty face that tugs at his heart.

Instead he said, "You have to go to school but I'll be standing right outside at two-thirty on the dot ok?"

She sniffled. "Ok Daddy."

He pulled an only marginally dirty red bandana out of his back pocket and wiped her tears holding the cloth over her nose "Blow." he commanded and she did. They continued on their walk.

"Hey Katie, you like gummi frogs?" Hardison asked.

"I like gummi bears."

"Same thing, here." He handed her a packet from his pocket. She tried to open it with her teeth, but Eliot grabbed it from her. "

Don't open things like that its bad for your teeth, Plus it gives me the willies."

"That gives you the willies? Really?" Parker asked.

"Yes, and the sound of tin foil crunching and Mr. Rogers and all his puppets."

"You fear puppets?" Hardison asked.

"Not the puppets themselves. Just the combination of a creepy sweater wearing old man with the puppets. Katie isn't allowed to watch." Eliot replied.

He walked her up the path.

"Daddy this is my teacher Miss Calston." Katie introduced the woman, who bore a striking resemblance to Jessica Simpson.

"Eliot Spencer." he offered his hand.

"My Daddy." Katie added with pride.

"Nice to finally meet you Katie talks about you pretty much all the time."

Eliot smiled politely shaking the woman's hand. "Nice to meet you too."

Parker watched skeptically. Nice Eliot was weird and he wasn't even trying to con anyone. It was just too odd in Parker's opinion. He kissed Katie on the top of the head again "Have a good day learn something. I love you. I'll be right here at two thirty."

"Okay Daddy love you too." Katie Beth followed her teacher into the building. Eliot stood there until he could no longer see Katie. Then he turned. "Lets go," he said tersely.

"You ok?" Parker asked. Sophie's teachings taking over for a moment.

"Yeah, We've work to do."

"Really, Man you ok you looked ready to cry or hit something."

"I don't like doing the drop off. Never have, never will…I'll be fine. Lets go."

-/-

After working for a bit on the job, it was time to pick up Katie. For the job they'd had to steal a limo in order to look their parts. So they parked down the block, Hardison complaining the whole time about having to drive around the baby, Miss Daisy. When she saw the limo, Eliot wished he'd had a camera because the awe on her face was hilarious. "Wow…cool…"

"Yeah, just don't get used it." He opened the car door with a flourish.

"Your chariot awaits, Milady." she giggled climbing in. Sophie smiled inside the car. Katie brought a less serious side to Eliot. It was really sweet.

"What's a chariot, Daddy?"

"It's another word for your ride…a car, carriage, that type of thing," he answered getting in and closing the door.

"Hi Miss Sophie, I like your dress."

"Hi sweetheart thank you."

"Where to little lady?" Alec asked, deciding to play along.

"Disney World!"

Eliot chuckled. "Just to the house Hardison…nice try Katie Beth."

-/-

She ran into the kitchen for a snack. "Slow down ,speed demon." Eliot called out. She climbed onto a barstool to turn on the radio he had stationed next to the sink.

"Careful, bug. What do you want for snack, cheese nips, popcorn, pretzels?" She turned on the radio and "Soul Sister" by Train poured out.

"Popcorn…"

"Ok how was your day?"

"Good I drew you a picture."

"You did huh?" she reached for him. He lifted her down and she took off to get the picture from her backpack. Eliot nuked the popcorn.

She came back holding up the picture. She pointed. "That's you. That's me. That's Mama."

"And this brown thing here?" He pointed to the middle of the page.

"That's our dog."

"We don't have a dog, Katie Beth."

"Yet." She smiled at him.

He laughed "I'll think about it."

-/-

Eliot sat Katie Beth up on the couch next to Hardison, who was now stationed back at his computer. He sat her popcorn and juice on the coffee table and then went to change into his more serviceable work clothes because he was helping Parker with a retrieval later.

When he came back he kissed the top of Katie's head. "Don't let her gorge herself on gummi frogs and orange soda… you do and you're putting her to bed. And I'll be back in two Hannah Montanas and a Spongebob, ok, Katie Beth?"

Hardison finally looked up from his techie world. "What you're leaving? No, you can't leave the baby ninja with me…I don't …no…little humans are breakable and I already know she cries…no, No, no way."

"You can handle it, Hardison. I trust you but if you break her, I break you. We clear?" "Crystal…just don't move, ok little girl?"

"Ok but what ya doin?" she scooted over looking over his shoulder.

"Don't touch anything either…Milly she's a very delicate lady." Eliot laughed.

"You named your computer Hardison?"

"Yeah so?"

Eliot shook his head. "Have fun Monkey I'll be back soon."

"Ok bye daddy love you."

"Love you. Bye baby."

Somehow an hour and half later Katie Beth was sitting in Hardison's lap, raptly watching and listening to all the action since she'd talked Hardison into giving her a com. Eliot was currently guarding Parker as she cleaned out some hotshot politician's safe. The guy had denied fathering a child with a cocktail waitress. He wouldn't do the DNA test, but at least with the stolen money, the child would be well taken care of.

"Daddy you're like a spy or something!" Katie's voice rang through Eliot's ears.

"You gave her a com, Hardison?" "She made the face. The one halfway between hungry little bird and sad puppy dog…I gave her what she wanted before we got into pissed off mini Eliot territory, with the screaming." "Katie Beth, you really shouldn't be watching or listening to any of this."

"Why not?"

"Because I said so."

Parker laughed. "That never really works, Eliot." "Shut up, Parker, I'm her parent," Eliot grumbled.

"All of you shut up," Nate ordered through the com system.

"Ooh, Daddy got in trouble." Katie Beth sing-songed. Sophie barely managed to not laugh in the face of the politician, and Eliot growled. "How does his growling not scare you?" Hardison asked Katie.

"He's daddy and he growls…a lot its not a big thing. Aunt Jodi says that's how he says I love you to everyone but me…I get the real words." The coms quieted for a moment only light whispering could be heard. Then, "Music to con by courtesy of Katherine Spencer." Hardison said and the theme to the pink panther cartoon filled their heads. Followed by Sophie's muffled laughter, Nate's uproarious laugh from wherever he was, Parker paused her looting with a snicker.

"You rock, Katie," said Parker and hummed along.

"Katie Beth!" Eliot spit out trying like hell not to laugh.

Eliot counted six body guards headed his way. Not too hard but not the easiest thing in the world either. "Hardison I need you to take Katie's com and turn off the tv."

"Why? Oh ok I'm on it."

"Crap I hate explaining bruises to my four year old." Eliot muttered as he faked left and hit the nearest guy.

A few minutes later Eliot put down the last guy and wiped some blood from his bottom lip.

"That was fast." Parker told him.

"You expected less?" He shot her a roguish grin.

"Uh, guys I lost the baby ninja." Hardison said.

"You lost my child in less than ten minutes, I will kill you…I will dismember you with a butter knife and toss your body parts all over the continent…" Eliot stomped off.

"Eliot the job's not done…" Nate reasoned.

"I'll find Katie, kill Hardison, then come back and finish it."

"Now lets not be hasty Eliot, Hardison she's somewhere on our floor. Just look for her." Sophie said.

"Check her room." Parker put in.

"And Eliot's bed… Sam liked to nap in Maggie's and my bed."

"FOUND HER!" Hardison shouted exhilarated at the thought of not meeting an early death. "Giving her stuffed animals a concert."

"You've been granted a stay of execution." Eliot muttered.

-/-

The job finished, Eliot poked his head into Nate's living room. Katie sat on the floor with Nate, coloring. She was in good hands, so he went to shower.

He came back sat down next to Katie. "Hey you, Gimmie a kiss."

"Daddy your eye and your lip." He heard the worry.

"I just didn't get out of the way in time. It doesn't hurt. Here, this cheek's safe. He tapped his left cheek she kissed it.

"You're lying it does too hurt."

"Hey now, Daddy's no pansy. What should we have for dinner? Tacos sound good?"

"Yep."

After dinner mit was movie night. Nate said no action movies because they all analyzed it and didn't really watch it just for the pleasure of watching it. So, he let Katie choose her selection being Snow White, only really held hers Parker's and surprisingly enough Eliot's attention. Everyone looked at him funny when he laughed when Dopey swallowed the soap and got some really bubbly hiccups.

"What everyone likes Disney movies…" he said defensively.

Later as the credits rolled, Parker looked around only she, Eliot and Katie remained. Eliot snoring on the couch. Katie lay on his chest deeply sleeping also. They looked really sweet and it unnerved Parker how much she softened for a moment. She decided to help Eliot by putting Katie to bed. She was gingerly removing Eliot's hold on the girl as Alec walked in.

"What are you doing parker don't touch that man's baby…you can't just steal the baby ninja okay it's a person not a diamond, the man threatened to kill me today to dismember me with a butter knife… he's not sane when it comes to that child. He wakes up to find her gone…well its like poking a hungry bear with a stick it's gonna eat you just for shits and giggles."

"Your analogies and rambling are giving me headache I'm not stealing her I'm putting her to bed properly." Parker picked her up never waking her, Katie rested her head on parker's shoulder.

"She smells like crayons, powder, and Eliot. Is that normal?"

"Yes, I think that's normal four year old girl smells…I just want the record to show I was against this when Eliot wakes up screaming because his DNA carrier is missing. My Nana always-"

"Hardison I don't care what your Nana said. Just go turn down her bed." Parker bit out. She tucked Katie in. "Goodnight Katie," she whispered.

"Sweet dreams baby ninja…" Hardison murmured.

-/-


	4. Chapter 4

Eliot woke up with a bright pink Post It note taped to his forehead it read: "Mister Hungry Bear, I didn't steal the Baby Ninja. I put her to bed so there's no need to eat me-Parker."

"There is something wrong with her." he muttered to himself rolling from the couch to a standing position seamlessly. He lumbered around.

"Monkey…" he called out his eyes still half closed.

"Daddy…" she called back.

"Where are you?"

"Miss Sophie's we're making crepes for Mister Nate."

He was awake by the time he made it into Sophie's kitchen, where Katie climbed up him as though he were a jungle gym. He was beginning to rethink leaving her with Parker today. His child would find jumping off of or scaling buildings highly fascinating. He hitched Katie a little higher around his waist. She wrapped her arms around his neck and squeezed then laid her head on his shoulder.

"Hugs this early in the morning is it my lucky day or are we still sleepy?"

"I think she's still sleepy." Sophie answered.

"Morning Daddy, love you."

"Mornin' my baby, sleep good?"

"mmhmm, Can I have a pony?"

"This means I need to limit your time with Parker I think."

"But I like her Daddy."

"I know I was teasing Katie Beth."

-/-

He fed her and got her ready for school. Nate needed him for recon today. So, Sophie was dropping her off and Parker was picking her up from school.

"It's a bird it's a plane no its Katie Beth." Eliot said as he "flew" Katie into Nate's living room. He set her on her feet and kissed her cheek. "Bye baby I love you."

"Don't forget to pick her up." He directed at Parker.

"I'm socially inept not stupid."

"No thievery and no buying her a horse Sophie…there's no place to board them in Boston."

"You big softie you checked didn't you." Sophie said with a grin

"Bye ladies…" Eliot said his tone belying his growing impatience.

"Bye Daddy."

-/-

Parker stood outside the school door a good fifteen minutes early. It bothered her that Eliot really thought she might forget Katie. Parker knew she was what some people might call " a little different" but she wasn't irresponsible when it came to those kinds of things.

Besides she'd been left behind before and would never do that to Katie. The kid was starting to grow on her, Sophie kept telling her that it was perfectly normal to love and trust in this little family they'd all made. So, Parker was trying to go with things and not freak out or think about what it would mean when Katie went back to her mother after Parker let herself become attached.

Katie bounded toward her minutes later. "PARKER!" she shouted "Hi where's Daddy?"

"Still working."

"But you can say hi…Here!" she pulled out her com and stuck it in Katie's ear. "Now talk."

"Hi Daddy."

Eliot ducked into an empty hall. "Hi baby. How was your day?"

"Good this is so cool like a little bitty phone that fits in your ear. Can I have one for my birthday."

"Sure thing Baby Ninja I'll get you one just cause." Alec said.

"My name is Katie…Why do boys call me the wrong thing?"

"What do you mean sweetheart." Sophie asked.

"Well Hardison calls me Baby Ninja which is at least kinda cool but Tommy Alton calls me Katie Butt…"

"That means he likes you Darlin'," Eliot said.

"Yeah well I don't like him. Daddy its Ice Cream Wednesday can Parker take me?"

"If she wants to."

"Hey, I'm always down for Ice cream kid."

"I can't believe I'm about to say this, but listen to Parker and mind her. Only one scoop I love you I gotta go but I'll see you later ok Baby?" Eliot said

"Ok. Love you bye Daddy."

-/-

Parker took her to PJ Licks, a local ice cream shop in Boston. Katie got the Girl Scout Thin Mint ice cream in a dish, not a cone. Katie was very specific, much like Eliot. Parker got the grapefruit sherbet.

"Yours has cookies I'm beginning to feel cheated." Parker said.

"You want a bite? I don't mind sharing."

"No that's ok thanks though…I got stay light to climb the buildings."

"You climb buildings?" Katie's eyes lit up. Eliot was screaming in Parker's ear that there was to be no climbing buildings ever. So she turned him off.

"Yeah but you aren't big enough yet a good strong wind would blow you right off the side." Katie looked a little scared.

"Too much?"

"Just a little."

"So what do you do? Daddy protects you guys, Sophie is an actress, Nate's the boss and Hardison is the smart one."

"I'm a thief."

Katie looked puzzled. "But Daddy says stealing is bad and you're not bad." Parker knew she had to tread carefully here.

"Stealing for the wrong reasons is bad, like if you steal gum just because it's there and you can that's bad. But if say one of your friends was playing with a toy and someone takes it and you steal it back and give it back to your friend, who had it first, that's not bad. It's doing the right thing."

"Can you show me how to do something you do? Sophie's teaching me voices, Hardison showed me how to break Daddy's computer just by pushing two buttons Daddy teaches me karate but I can only use it to learn discipline and to defend myself I can't ever hit first and I'm not sure I can learn what Nate does."

Parker pulled a padlock from her bag, took a bobby pin from her hair and snapped the metal handle bit off an ink pen someone had left on their picnic table.

"Ok so, this is your pick." She held up the bobby pin bending it to her liking. "And this," she held up the metal bit. "Is your torque wrench. Got that so far?"

"Yep!"

"Now the lock is encased in a metal housing which holds the pins that holds the cylinder into its locked position and that's where you put your key. Or our case the pick. You take your torque wrench and stick it in top part here and hold it there with your thumb until it's time to turn the lock. Ok?"

"Ok."

"Now you put your pick in as far down in there as you can. Then wiggle it all around trying to push the pins up outta the way so that the cylinder will move and unlock. Now when the pins move you can hear it it makes a snicking noise or if you're really good, you can feel it. Now sometimes it takes less than thirty seconds or it can take a few minutes but-" the lock opened "You'll get it eventually. Now you try."

Parker watched with a smile at the look of concentration on her face, her tongue trapped between her teeth as she worked over the lock. Parker shot dirty looks at the patrons who stared as though a four year old picking a pad lock was a bad thing.

"Parker, I did it!" she shouted with glee.

"You did and fast too thirty six seconds. Here I'll get you a tougher lock."

"Now, I can pick the lock on the chest in Daddy's closet I think he has the chuckie doll in there."

"No, No, I don't think you should do that ."

"Why not?"

"He has it locked for a reason I'm sure."

-/-

Eliot walked in tired from work but managed to smile for his daughter, who was standing on the couch in heated game of Wii Tennis with Hardison.

"Hey Miss Katie Beth, How's my best girl today?"

"Good, Parker taught me to pick a lock today and I got my time down to twenty seconds."

Eliot was angry. He'd specifically told the team not to teach her things like that.

He hid his anger from her.

"What was your time before?" he asked because he was curious. "Thirty-six seconds. Parker says I'm good."

"You are. But don't do it. That's a command, not a request. We clear?"

"Yes sir."

"Good now beat Hardison's butt in tennis."

-/-

He strode into Parkers apartment unannounced.

"You taught my child to pick locks." He said it as a statement not looking for clarification.

"It was harmless and was a good exercise in dexterity."

"She's four and she's not your child, Parker, she's mine and I don't want her thinking its ok to just take whatever she wants."

"You are a hypocrite. Retrieval specialist is just a fancy word for thief."

"Maybe so but I want more for her than the life we lead and I realize that somehow with your cross wired freaky ass brain that escapes you, but this was not ok and was not your place. Goodnight Parker." and he was gone.

-/-

After Eliot helped Katie with a painting project and fed her dinner, she had a stomach ache. So he did what he'd done from the time she was days old and had a problem that prevented her from sleeping: he danced with her.

Parker stood in his doorway watching as he continued the slow dance he'd been doing for nearly a hour with Katie in his arms. He sang along quietly with the radio to Jakob Dylan's "Something Good This Way Comes."

"I got my window open wide, I got my window open wide, I got a good woman by my side , got a good woman by my side, now this kinda day has no night yeah this kinda day has no night and ain't got much on my mind no I ain't got much on my mind cause I know something good this way comes."

"No, one's ever done that for me you know?" Parker said finally.

"Done what?" he said not at all surprised by her presence.

"Looked at me like their whole world would stop if I one day didn't exist or danced with me for an hour so I didn't think about my tummy ache and was able to go to sleep."

"Just comes with being a parent Parker. The dancing is a old habit that works. Mama, taught me if ain't broke don't fix it. She out yet?"

"Dead to the world."

"I'm sorry about today I honestly didn't think it would hurt anything."

"Its ok you're Parker sometimes you don't realize…"

"Where does the instinct come from?"

"What?"

"You always know what she needs or wants. How I don't get it. It's not like you scream I'm a good father just by looking at you but you are."

"Thank you. I had a superb mother."

"Did you love her automatically?"

"Why do you ask."

"Because she's easy to love and no one's ever loved me the way you loved her or the way Nate still loves Sam."

"No actually, my mama taught me to take responsibility for my actions and that's all I was doing until one day. I used to pick her up from daycare all greasy and smelly from work and the ladies that ran the place always looked at me like they'd rather cut off their little finger than hand this perfectly clean baby to a dirty stinky man."

Parker snickered.

"Anyway, I walk in one day and they had her sitting in a bouncy seat."

Parker looked puzzled.

"I'll show you one later." He laid Katie on the couch for the moment. " I'm still not sure if she heard me coming before she saw me but when she did see me, she started kicking and shrieking and smiling at me and in that moment, the first time someone was truly happy to see me. She became more than my responsibility. She became my Katie Beth."

"And because you love her you can't fuck it up."

"I would be doing her a disservice if I did."

"I get it now. I'm sorry."

"It's alright Parker."

"Goodnight Eliot."

"Goodnight Parker."

-/-

The door firmly closed behind Parker. He picked Katie up carrying her to her bed.

"Tomorrow I'm leaving you with Nate…He's least likely to corrupt you," he whispered to her sleeping form.


	5. Chapter 5

Standing in the shower, Eliot thought that this was the only place Katie wouldn't follow him. He didn't want to give her back to Tana at the week's end and there was nothing saying he had to. He'd have to rearrange his life, maybe change it completely, but he wasn't so sure he had any problem with that.

He liked the team and he liked conning, but he loved Katie. He needed to call his sister to talk. Freshly showered and dressed for the day, he looked in on Katie Beth. Seeing she was still sleeping soundly, he went to make coffee. He quickly and efficiently started the coffee. Leaning on the counter he picked up the cordless to go call Jodi.

It rang only twice. "Eliot!"

"Hey sis,"

"That's not funny. Stop smirking. You realize its like four in the morning here. What the hell are you doing up? Even you need sleep."

"Ha, funny. I have Katie. I've had her all week. Tana just left her at my door."

"She's such a good mother." The sarcasm in his sisters voice made him smile.

"Yeah, tell me about it."

"Wanna keep her, don't you?"

He grunted.

"It'll mean another career change."

He grunted again.

"Stop grunting at me and just talk. Otherwise, you're just being rude."

"Right sorry. It's just I really like the crew I'm with now and If could keep Katie Beth and my gig, I'd like too."

"Just decide what's most important and how to do what needs to be done and do it.

"Daddy I don't feel-" and Katie, who was now standing next to him, threw up at Eliot's feet.

"The baby just puked on my feet. I'll call you back."

Tears filled Katie's eyes. "Sorry daddy…"

"It's okay, baby, not your fault."

"Ew…I don't feel good."

"My thoughts exactly Monkey ew…Let's go get cleaned up ok." He picked her up under the arms and held her out, marching her to the tub.

"It's in my hair Daddy…" She lamented, the girly-girl in her showing.

"I'm gonna wash your hair, baby." He stripped her down and set her on the toilet. He started her bath water and handed her the trash can.

"Try to keep in there ok hun. Be right back." He went to clean up the kitchen.

-/-

Nate knew it was his turn to watch Katie and he wasn't as nervous as he had been when she first arrived. On second thought, maybe uncomfortable was a better word. Being around kids was difficult and would always be a little painful for him.

Katie was sweet and surprisingly intelligent, always asking questions, which nine times out of ten Eliot answered patiently and with a smile. She was good for Eliot and Nate would venture a guess and include the rest of them in that statement. He smiled, thinking of yesterday when she'd asked Eliot why the sky was blue. Instead of just saying because it is, Eliot had chanced it and used Hardison's computer to look it up. Apparently Katie had broken his.

Minutes later, Eliot carried in the little girl, who was wearing warm footsie pajamas and looked pale.

"She has the flu or some kind of stomach bug anyway I can either find a replacement for me or you'll have to watch her."

"I can take care of her; it's not a problem." Nate replied. Hardison walked in Parker behind him.

"Hey Baby Ninja!"

"Hey Hardison, I'm pukey…"

"Oh, no you don't, man. The petrie dish in Blue Clues jammies stays with you."

"It's sick? Do we take it to the doctor?" Parker said.

"I thought we agreed you'd stop calling her it." Eliot said. "It's just the flu I've been exposed which means I'll get it then expose the rest of you…we're all going to catch it no matter what, Hardison."

Eliot sat her down on the couch, laying out her juice, crackers, and puke bucket. No sooner than he set the bucket next to her, she was retching into it forcefully. He didn't blink, just removed the ponytail holder from his own hair and pulled back her hair. Rubbing her back as tears streamed down her face, he could tell she was starting panic from not being able to catch her breath in between the bouts of vomiting.

"Its okay baby just breathe…"

The nausea was starting to abate. "I don't like throwing up Daddy."

"No one does."

"Ew." Hardison added. He looked over to Nate who looked a little discombobulated. "You sure you'll be ok to do this man?"

"Just fine."

Then Parker did something that surprised Eliot. She emerged from the bathroom with a warm washcloth and wpied Katie's face.

"Ok kiddo, here's some gum I'll just put it with your crackers and Mister Nate will give you an earbud so you can talk to any of us at anytime. Even if I'm in an air duct I'll hear you."

"Ok Monkey I gotta roll out."

"NO! Please stay." Even sick and weeping, she was able to scale him like Spiderman on a building.

"I have to go baby…" Eliot said

"But I'm sick."

"I'll hurry baby doll I promise."

She kissed his cheek. He was so going to catch what she had he just knew it.

"Daddy?" she was pressed to him breathing in his ear.

"Uh huh?"

"Please stop rocking…"

He didn't realize he'd been swaying from side to side "Sorry." He kissed her forehead and laid her on the couch covering her up with Sophie's afghan. "Try and take a nap bye love you."

He headed for the door before she decided to cry.

"Feel better baby ninja." Hardison said. Parker kept fluttering nervously around the child.

"She'll be fine Parker," Sophie reassured her having just walked in from Nate's bedroom.

"Bye Parker. Bye Sophie. Love you guys." Katie murmured sleepily. Parker was startled into silence. No one had ever said they loved her before.

"We love you too, sweets," Sophie replied.

Nate was thankful that Katie fell into a fitful sleep as he oversaw the job. Awhile later, Eliot heard Katie whimpering.

"She's whimpering I hear whimpering Nate." Eliot said gruffly, hoping no one picked up on his irrational fear.

"I heard it too." Parker put in.

"Yeah, that was definitely a whimper." Hardison added.

"I'm on it. You all act like I've never dealt with a sick kid before," Nate griped.

He went over and touched her gently, feeling the heated skin of her cheek. He automatically flashed on what fevers used to mean for him: relapses from remission.

He swallowed thickly and asked. "Eliot where do you keep the thermometer?"

"Bathroom cabinet above the toilet third shelf half way back behind the Q-Tips and Snoopy band-aids."

Hardison snickered. "You own Snoopy band-aids that's just funny."

"Shut up man, She's four."

Nate whistled lowly. "102..."

"Tylenol is on the top shelf third from the left." Eliot said.

Katie grabbed Nate's hand "It's hot in here Daddy."

The sorrow stabbed at him. He just exhaled, not bothering to correct her. When he got her to take the medicine she crawled into his lap. "Don't feel good Daddy."

"I know sweetie." Nate answered in place of Eliot. He prayed the fever broke quickly. He absolutely hated hospitals. The smells, sights, and sounds always trigged some type of parental PTSD. She cuddled further into him. He realized Eliot was humming to her almost unnoticeably in all of their ears. It would stop when he was being approached and start again when was alone.

All of this made him think unavoidably of Sam. He wished he could say that he was successful in not ever thinking of him, that it would have made it less painful. But no matter what he did, something tiny would make him think of Sam everyday. He tried to think of the good times and in recent times Katie had helped him to do that.

"What do we do if the fever doesn't go down?" Parker asked.

"We give her a cool bath or take her to the hospital." Eliot answered.

God do I need a drink, Nate thought. The last thing he wanted was to have to go to that same hospital where Sam had died and sit in a tiny little room with Eliot who paces like a caged animal when stressed.

"My Nana always soaked us in rubbing alcohol. We stank to high heaven for days but its felt nice." Hardison.

"They debunked that it causes alcohol poisoning it absorbs too quickly through the skin and the kid inhales tons of fumes." Eliot said.

"How the hell do you know that?"

"Parenting magazine."

"How can you be so calm?" Parker griped accusingly at Eliot.

"I compartmentalize on the job. Now you do the same before I drop you on your ass." Eliot replied gruffly as he boosted her up through the ceiling.

"Nate you ok?" Sophie asked concern evident in her voice.

"Fine Soph, but those two need to shut up before the wake her."

Katie's fever finally broke just as they were leaving the job.

"She eaten anything today? Eliot asked Nate.

"No, I couldn't get her to, maybe you'll have better luck."

Eliot ran down a list in his head too see if he had everything he needed for homemade chicken noodle soup for dinner. "Yeah maybe."

"Can I bring her ice cream? I know she likes it." Parker asked, giving Eliot puppy dog eyes or he guessed that's what she was trying to do. "Yeah, just quit looking at me like that and buy it, don't steal it."

-/-

He got Katie to eat a little bit and then bathed her. He knew she was still feeling bad when she climbed into her bed and went to sleep all on her own.

-/-

Eliot walked into Nate's apartment to find him sitting at the table with a drink.

"Don't worry I didn't drink on the job." Nate said with a rueful smile.

"Thank you for today I know it couldn't have been easy."

"It wasn't, but that's my fault. I avoid things. I avoid the toy aisle in Wal-Mart, Disney movies, I avoid things like the zoo, Christmas and his birthday because if I pretend it all doesn't exist I can pretend nothing hurts and I drink for fun."

"Nate-"

"I like your kid and I think Sam would have too. He was just starting to like girls when… and Maggie was beside herself because of it. He's six and girls are still supposed to have cooties…her name was Sarah Spellman. Anyway, I get the feeling you aren't going to give her back to her Mama."

"It's not in my plans no…I don't know what it will mean for the team though I was going to talk to you all I just wanted to come to you first."

"I think she will keep us all grounded. It'll be a good thing."

-/-

In reality Eliot had already made up his mind to keep Katie before he'd even picked up the phone to call his sister. Yes, his job had its drawbacks and dangers but he didn't do his job alone now and that safe guarded him some and gave him advantages he hadn't had before. He could either continue working with the team and they would work out all the details later or he would find a suitable replacement for the team get a real job and do the one thing Amy had said he wasn't capable of doing put down good solid roots for he and Katie.

The team was all sitting around his dining room table. Parker looking at Katie's bedroom door every five minutes like she was waiting for something but Eliot didn't know what it would be.

"I'm not going to give Katie Beth back to Tana. I'm keeping her."

Parker jumped up and hugged him with a squeal of delight. "I wasn't going to let you give her back anyway." she said plainly.

"Um, Ok." Eliot said slowly warily hugging her back.

"Can I take her shopping? You try and it's really sweet, but yesterday she didn't match," Sophie said.

"Don't any of you care what this will mean for the team?" Eliot asked slightly bewildered.

"It just means we arrange our schedule around the ninja, Easy. Now, can I have some of that soup?" Hardison answered.

"Told you so." Nate said smirking.

-/-

After everyone left and Eliot did some tai chi to center himself. Then he went around the apartment, shutting of lights and locking the door. He looked in on Katie and saw Parker sleeping on the floor next to her bed using a princess pillow and a Hello Kitty blanket.

He knew she'd left with the others earlier he'd closed the door behind her. He looked up one of the air vents was open.

"Ah, makes sense. Night ladies."

He turned off Katie's rope lights wrapped around the foot board of her bed leaving the door cracked out of habit.

As he slipped into his own bed he looked forward to tomorrow as he always did with Katie. He refused to think about the fight Tana might put up to keep Katie Beth.


	6. Chapter 6

There was a knock at Nate's door, which Sophie answered. Swinging the door open, she was surprised by what she saw. A pretty brunette with olive skin, fine features accentuated by big brown eyes and hair cut into a fancy-looking bob. She didn't appear to be wearing make up. She wore simple dark jeans, white shirt and trim gray blazer.

"May I help you?" Sophie asked.

"I'm Tana Roberts I'm just here to get Katie."

Well you are not what I was expecting, Sophie thought but instead said, "She's not here. Eliot took her to the Build-a-Bear shop since she's finally feeling better."

"You his girlfriend? Don't much look like El's type," she said, a Georgia accent tingeing her words.

"Oh no… not at all, I can assure you, please come in." Sophie was upset by the fact that she'd said Katie was sick, and the woman hadn't even blinked.

"So, what do you do, Miss Roberts?"

"I'm a flight attendant."

"That's nice…"

They made strained small talk until Eliot and Katie came rolling in with Parker trailing behind. Katie ran in.

"Sophie, Parker made my bear say 'I love money'!" She stopped when she saw Tana.

"Mama!" she ran over, hugging her.

"Hey, sweetie you have fun with Daddy?"

"Yep other than getting all pukey that, sucked but don't worry I'm all better now. Daddy! Mama's here!"

"I see that!"

"Can we go for pizza like always?"

"Maybe, and don't say sucks sucked or any other form of that word."

"Ok…"

"I need you to go play, darlin'. Soph and Parker will go with you."

"We will?" Parker asked. He shot her a scathing look. "I mean yes, we will."

Once Katie was safely in her room, Eliot spoke, his voice low and gruff. "What was the deal we made, Tana? When you got clean, we agreed that you could keep her until what? Until you fucked up. Deals off. I'm not letting you take her back. You can see her whenever you land in Boston for more than an hour."

-/-

Parker stood with her ear pressed to Katie's door. "Stop eavesdropping its rude… or at least turn on your comm and do it stealthily, like me." Sophie said.

-/-

"You can't keep her from me."

"Didn't say I was, Tana. I said you are not taking her home and it's not up for discussion! You didn't want her, still don't from what I can see. She's like your little human accessory. She's a kid not a handbag you can switch out to match your fucking mood or shoes . You just abandoned her at my door. I have enemies, Tana, you know that. If I hadn't been here she could be dead!"

"Well she's not…and you can't just keep her no court in America is going to let you of all people have her."

"Oh I'm not involving the courts Honey, you're just going to be smart and let me have my way."

"Or what! You'll kill me?"

"Keep your voice down goddamit! She can hear." he switched into a low feral whisper. "I don't kill women but I do have the money, resources, and time to ruin your life." He caught her eye. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way, it's up to you."

"This isn't over!" She got in his face.

"I didn't think it was." There was fire in his eyes, but a smile on his face. He knew he'd scared her but good when she headed for the door and left.

"Says a lot about you that you forgot to say goodbye to her." Eliot murmured to himself.

Somehow, by the time he was done arguing with Tana and went to let the girls out of Katie's room, she'd talked them into going to the movies. Not having the emotional strength to fight, her he ended up taking Sophie, Parker, and Katie Beth to see The Princess and The Frog. He wasn't sure what it meant for his love life that the only date he'd had in months involved going to see a Disney movie with a woman involved with his boss, the resident crazy, and his daughter. -/-

He was putting Katie Beth to bed when he heard Parker come in, and the fact that he heard anything at all meant she was off her game. Rattled. Walking into the kitchen, he found her sitting on the counter next to the sink.

"Parker," he said, then turned on the water, poured in soap and began washing dishes. He could use the dish washer but he preferred the repetition and steps involved with doing it himself.

"How do we keep her from taking her back."

"We're a we? This is a we thing now?"

"We're a family and all that jazz right. So, yes it's a we thing now."

"Well I'm banking on it not being about Katie Beth in the first place. It's all about appearances and money with Tana. I'll probably just end up paying her off. Here, be useful, I wash, you dry." He handed her a towel.

"So, you'd be buying your kid. That is kind of fucked up."

"It'll still be the best investment I ever made." He passed her a plate to dry and their fingers brushed. A spark passed between though he knew both of them felt it, neither wanted to acknowledge it. That was a whole barrel of monkeys he'd avoided thus far and he'd keep doing it.

"So, Um… if that doesn't work."

"We cross that bridge and burn it when we come to it. But it doesn't help that Eliot Spencer is actually my real name."

-/- Any hope that Eliot might have held that Tana was going to let him win easily died the next morning when he swung his door open and she was standing there with mean looking guy who Eliot could guess by the way he stood was ex-military, a Marine, probably. "Can I help you?" The chill in Eliot's voice would have frozen the hinges of the gates of hell.

"Give the lady the kid and we'll be on our way."

"Nope…"

The guy stepped into his personal space. Rookie mistake. He stuck his index finger in the center of the guy's chest and pushed a little. "You like living dude? Then scoot on back. Who is this ass clown, Tana?" "My boyfriend, Mark."

"Daddy, I finished your picture." Katie ran out from her room into the foyer.

"Oh, Hi Mommy." She caught sight of Mark and hid behind Eliot's legs.

Before Eliot was irritated and amused. Now though, he was pissed. What had this asshole done to his Katie Beth? "Sophie I need you to come get Katie right now," he said calmly into the comm. She walked in through the door that he'd designed to connect the apartments.

"What's going on Eliot?"

"Just take Katie and gimmie five minutes then send in Nate and Hardison, no make it ten. I've always liked to play with my food before I eat."

Sophie thought it was safer not to press the issue and did as asked. Tana took the opportunity to turn tail and run. Eliot caught Mark by the collar before he could leave. There was no martial arts finesse to this; he just beat his ass.

"What did you do to my kid?"

"Nothing."

"I don't believe you." With repeated lefts and rights to the face, it looked like Mark's head had been put through a meat grinder. He kneed him in the crotch for kicks then when he dropped to the floor, kicked him in the gut breaking a couple ribs. He stopped cold.

"Huh I still had two minutes its your lucky day. You better run and hide, fall off the face of the goddamn earth cause if you touched my kid I'll kill you." Eliot walked away, leaving him a pool of his own blood.

-/-

He stood in Parker's barely furnished kitchen. Everyone knew either he or Sophie fed her, like a little stray puppy.

"Was it absolutely necessary to beat him up Eliot?" she asked.

"Yes, it was. He made her cower behind my legs. Katie doesn't cower. I raised her to be confident. I knew something was off Parker and I let it go for so much longer than I should have."

"You trusted her mother. You had no way of really knowing for certain."

"What if he hurt her or abused her?"

"We ask her. We make sure she knows she's safe with all of us and we don't let it happen again." Parker put the ice on his hand.

-/-

He found Katie sitting in Nate's living room floor building a Lego tower. He sat down next to her Indian-style, adding a block to the top.

"Hi Monkey."

"Hi Daddy, You ok?"

"Yeah but I need you too tell me what your Mama's boyfriend did to make you so scared."

"Why?"

"I just need to know. You will always be safe with me and you are not in trouble you did nothing wrong." He tilted her face up to his "Capishe?" "I had to always be quiet or he'd yell and take all the toys out of my room. He called me names and spanked me really hard if I didn't clean my plate even though the food was yucky."

Eliot barely suppressed his growl. "What kind of names Honey?"

"Bastard. Waste of sperm. Snot nosed whiny little bitch. There were lots of them with bad words but those a lot. I love my Mama but I don't want go back if he's gonna be there."

"Oh trust me baby you're not."

"Ok. Can you help me make my tower taller I'm too short."

"You bet. Katie Beth?"

"Yeah."

"I love you."

"Love you too Daddy."

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	7. Chapter 7

Eliot was pleasantly surprised when Tana accepted defeat. Now, months later, Katie Beth was starting kindergarten in a few days and Sophie was taking immense pleasure in the school clothes shopping while making everyone else miserable.

"Daddy can you die from too much walking?" Katie asked as they trudged behind an energized Miss Deveraux. "No."

"Can your feet fall off?"

He smiled picking her up "Better?"

"Thanks, I'm hungry."

Parker reached for her. "I'll take her to the food court you pry Soph outta that store."

He handed her over not at all worried. Things were starting to change between Parker and him, casual accidentally on purpose touches, moments filled with sexual tension and quiet time spent together doing nothing at all. He liked to read. Parker liked to plan thievery in her head. She tried to be sly about it, but he knew that she was mentally trying to steal the Mona Lisa from the Louvre.

They both knew something was changing slow like the tectonic plates of the Earth but still a change. Changes they ignored. They were like Sophie and Nate, only more fucked up.

"Come on Sophie you've worn us all out. Lets pay and leave."

"But she needs-"

"Soph you've bought three closets worth of stuff. She has everything she needs, she's tuckered out she asked me if her feet could fall off."

"Nonsense...although maybe what she's really saying is that she needs new shoes."

"Seriously, do you know how hard it is to make a five year old tired? You've accomplished something."

-/-

Parker stood in line at Taco Bell, Katie still on her hip. To the outside world, they could of very easily passed for mother and daughter. Their orders placed, she went to set Katie down at the table and the hairs on the back of her neck rose.

She felt like they were being watched. She tried to shrug it off. Maybe the last job was still making her paranoid. She turned her attention back to Katie who was talking to her.

"What did you say Katie?"

"I asked if we can get cookies too?"

"Ask your Daddy here he comes."

Eliot strode up with a pouty Sophie following. He kissed Katie on the top of the head then plopped down in the seat next to her. "Ready to go home Monkey?"

"Can we get a cookie at the cookie place?"

"Eat your tacos first…"

"Ok."

"Thank you for bein' good today."

"No prob Bob."

He laughed. "You guys order for me and Sophie or do we gotta bum off you?"

"We ordered for you see." Katie pointed as he reached for his food he noticed a distracted look on Parker's face.

"Earth to twenty pounds of crazy you ok?"

"Yeah I'll tell you later." She didn't even acknowledge the barb he threw at her teasingly. That told him something was off. She usually at the very least made a face at him.

-/-

Katie Beth had fallen asleep on the way home so he put her to bed. He closed her door leaving it cracked and emerged into the living room to find Parker sitting in the dark on the couch staring at the blank TV. He reached over to turn on the lamp on the end table by the couch.

"Parker you are acting weirder than usual."

"Someone was watching us."

"What? When? Now?"

"No earlier Katie and I at the food court. I know it I felt it Eliot." He sat next to her on the couch. He never knew how to comfort her or make her feel better. He usually left that to Sophie or Hardison. He could totally punch someone for her but hugging and kind words didn't come easily to him.

The only reason he could support Katie emotionally was because his love for her overrode his insecurities about being emotionally venerable. So he sat on the couch near her fiddling with a strand of her hair. "It was probably nothing just your imagination working over time."

"I guess you're right and you'll say I'm imagining this thing between me and you too right? That this thing we've been avoiding by being with other people and just plain pretending you dislike me like we have fo-"

He kissed her.

-/-

She was pretty sure he was kissing her to get her to shut her up. Man, was he good at it though, gentle yet demanding. One hand coiled into her hair, the other on her hip. She didn't know what kissing him would be like but she'd wondered.

Now she knew it was a bit like being electrocuted, this warm zappy feeling she felt from her toes on up and he tastes like Christmas. Huh who knew, she thought.

"Better?" He smirked pulling away.

"You taste like Christmas."

"Huh? Do what? You lost me." His brow furrowed

"You know peppermint equals candy canes and candy canes equal Christmas."

-/-

Eliot had two days with his girl before school started everyone else had side jobs to do. So it would just be Katie Beth and him at the Franklin Park Zoo today.

He shook her slightly "Wake up Monkey get moving." He kissed her cheek as she groaned into wakefulness.

"It's zoo day." and he got a sleepy little smile.

"Can I wear my tell me I'm pretty or my Daddy will punch you in the face shirt?"

Eliot laughed. "Sure wear whatever you want babe but your blue tutu is in the laundry so that's out."

"Bummer."

"I know right."

-/-

He was making breakfast when she emerged from her room wearing her purple shirt that said "Tell Me I'm Pretty Or My Daddy Will Punch You In The Face!", black jeans and one pink converse and one purple. He cocked his head to the side

"Katie darlin' your shoes don't match."

"I know I meant to do that."

"Oh, well at least you have them on the right feet. Here eat your cereal." He set a bowl of cheerios in front of her.

-/-

They were looking at the lemurs. "Daddy could Parker steal a lemur?"

"I'm sure she could but -" he felt it too then something was off. He looked around trying not to alarm Katie. He didn't see anything. Maybe Tana was tailing them.

"But what Daddy."

"Oh um, you can't have one."

"Well why not?"

"Why does because I said so never work on you?"

"Cause you taught me to question authority."

"Not Daddy's smartest move."

"You gave me a puppy for my birthday."

"I had a weak moment because you are a charmer. That's a wild animal and they stink so nope sorry kid not happening."

"You know you should ask Parker on a real date. One I don't go on." Eliot chuckled at the quick change in subject. "I should huh?"

"You like her don't you? And it's the gentlemanly thing to do."

"Thanks for the advice Monkey."

"No problem that's what I'm here for."

-/-

Eliot had never set out to be a father much less someone's daddy, but if where honest with himself, he could admit that it was one of the few things that didn't involve violence stealing or lying that he was truly good at. Which he guessed was why he was standing here on the sidewalk watching his baby, who Sophie had dressed like a model for Gap Kids, walk into school.

She stopped every few feet to make sure they were still there and would wave. He really just wanted to cry. Not hit something, like Hardison so often suggested. Just really wanted to have himself a good cry. His mama said he would, but he was trying like hell not too. Katie Beth stood in the doorway, looking back as they all shouted last minute advice.

"Use the Gummi Frogs to make friends at recess."

"Don't get dirty."

"Yeah right Sophie…" Parker said motioning her to ear bud "If you need to talk."

"Great, Make people think she's crazy," Eliot muttered to himself.

"Just have fun Katie." Nate called out. Katie Beth looked over at Eliot. He nodded mouthing "It's ok, go." she gestured 1 4 3.

"What's that mean?" Sophie asked. "It's the number of letters in each word of I love you."

He answered signaling bac 3. And in she went. He took a deep breath.

"Lets go we have work to do until she gets out. It'll go faster for me if I work. So, lets go." he said gruffly.

No one took the bait though they just followed him to the car letting him grumble, because that was just Eliot.

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